Sister-in-law is getting a french bulldog puppy and am feeling very judgemental about it!

[Playmat]

From all I’ve read, this breed is riddled with health problems. And the mothers can’t give birth, they have to have c-sections.

I think my sister-in-law is being superficial to get such a breed. I think she likes them because celebrities have them.

I’m being a judgey cow, aren’t I? But who would get such a breed? It must be a vanity thing, right?

Lil221 Again, you are missing the point. We are criticising people who breed for looks, not health and it has been done to the severe detriment of these lovely dogs. This breed has suffered so very badly as it has become fashionable, the Kennel Club and French Bull Dog Association needs to have serious words with itself and their members. You can love the breed but not be blind to the problems it has. Or do you choose not to believe the British Veterinary Association's concerns? Your breeder may have been a good one but they are outnumbered by bad ones now that the breed is trendy and bad confirmation in a dog that is already compromised when bred well has horrific results. I don't think Frenchies should be allowed to die out, I DO think there needs to be a huge shakeup in the showing world so that people are encouraged to breed frenchies that look more like their ancestors, who were WORKING dogs. You can talk about how much you love your dogs to the cows come home, it doesn't even begin to be an answer to the concerns that have been raised about the breed and how it has evolved. MY daughter had to sit on the floor of her surgery for three hours the other day, keeping a tube in a Frenchie that was recovering from an op and making sure it didn't die in its sleep, its ability to breathe was so compromised. I have one myself, it doesn't mean I don't get tired of hearing people make excuses to breed these dogs to be born sick or disabled. So you love your dogs - how is that a response to these concerns? BTW, my frenchie, who actually has a muzzle, does several miles A DAY. She walks out with me every day with two terriers to check on our herd of ponies and has no problems keeping up. EVERY dog should be able to do that.

Lil, you are spectacularly missing the point and actually get further from it with every post. I actually hope you are a GF.

@Lil221 dogs should be walking a several miles a day, not a week. They should also be capable of running for a decent length of time without struggling to breathe.

What's wrong with a breed dying out? It's not a species, it's a phenotype. And that one is unhealthy.

BTW, my vet, who has often admired my rescue Frenchie's cute, square, most-definitely-there muzzle, suggested we breed her when we were at the surgery tonight (silly thing ate a field mushroom and made herself very sick) and pass on that healthier face. Even if I could be arsed to get into breeding, which I can't, I immediately thought of this thread and thought, "Fuck me, I'll be lynched!"

Also, nothing is more irritating than people who lose no opportunity, no matter how tangential, to signal their virtue by telling you their dog is a "rescue." Get over yourself. You didn't use a puppy farm, well done and all, but did you do so because you are a good person? or because you wanted everyone to know you are a good person?

I have two French bulldogs. They have no health problems. They can breath, walk, run (very fast) jump and wrestle constantly with each other. They are both slim healthy dogs with wonderful personalities. I bought them three years apart from a good breeder. They where both born naturally.
This is not unusual, my friend has a rescue Frenchie who is just as healthy.
What's the big deal?

If you go to any vets you will find all breeds have some health issues.
I have a x breed. Her mum extremely healthy yet my dog would be prone to a delicate gut, but treated easily with diet. Made worse by eating things she is not supposed to.
Its her money and her choice. As long as it is well cared for and looked after thats the main thing.

We got our beloved frenchie 11 years ago before they were really popular. He was a brilliant dog, could run 10k happily and was fantastic with the kids, swam like a champion, however he did have lots of random health issues - some breed related some just bad luck.

I always said I'd never have another one after my lovely boy was pts and now it's been a year and we are researching which breed of dog to get next. Rescues are out as we have kids under 12, or the dogs needing rehoming are larger breeds we don't have the space for. So we've looked at all our options and other breeds who seem to have so many problems too and now I am thinking I will get another frenchie as they are such wonderful companion pets and such characters. We are researching our breeders carefully and know a lot about the breed.

So I think you are YANBU to worry about your SIL getting a dog as they a huge commitment as a first time dog owner but YABU to judge her on this particular breed as they are so lovely in their own unique way and genuinely fabulous family dogs aside from being an accessory for foolish celebs (mine was never up for being dressed up or carried or any of that nonsense, although the girls tried!)

@Lil221 we are not attacking your dogs, of course/hopefully you love your dogs.

What we are saying is that no dog should be bred for looks at the expense of health. Surely you want your/all dogs to be healthy and happy?

I don't believe any dog should be bred, it's disgusting and unnecessary.

I don't believe any dog should be bred, it's disgusting and unnecessary.

So all dogs should die out? What a bonkers statement!

I have an English Bulldog. She is almost 6 years old. She cost a small fortune. She certainly wasn't a fashion accessory. I also have two rescue dogs.

She can run around for a long while, people are often surprised by that .

That said, I won't get one again. Despite being able to run around fast etc and the only time she has had to go to the vets was for an allergic reaction, when I hear her snoring I realise just how bad her breathing is. And she is healthy by bulldog standards. I have not met a bulldog who does not snore like mine does.

I would like to pretend that she is perfectly healthy because she runs around fast and is very active, but when I hear her snoring it almost brings me out in panic because it seems so uncomfortable at times.

I won't even try to justify owning one because I can't really. All I can do now is look after her well and never get a breed like that again.

I dread to think what all you people think about human disabilities.

How is that even relevant? Unless you comparing people with disabilities to the practice of deliberately breeding dogs with more and more extreme 'disabilities' to sell for profit?

For the record, I would totally judge a person who bred humans in the same way as some dogs are bred.

When someone speaks to us who actually knows what they are I could kiss them!

If I ever get snogged by an owner when I'm admiring their fatties, I'll know it's you and I'll identify myself, Lincoln!

*FLATTIES, nt fatties

@SchadenfreudePersonified
Whenever you see a 'fatty' shout out, you might get a hole lot of snogs  before it will actually be lincoln .

And heart problems. I looked after a few who had pacemakers. Might I add, they were technically more advanced than most of their owner's pacemakers! Never got bit by any of my canine patients either. Humans though were another story...

I was responding to the Labrador comment!

dogs should be walking a several miles a day, not a week

Ffs that is the point- not all dogs are the same. Frenchies and pugs shouldn't be walking miles a day. Part of owning the breed is knowing their limitations.

That's fine if you have dogs who enjoy long muddy walks but my pugs are more than contented with a walk round the local park, playing with one another and sleeping in bed with me at night. Have you ever considered that if is not practical for all families to own a large breed who requires long fast paced walks every day?

@Lil221 for what it's worth your babies are stunning

Right there with you on this in my own judgeypants. Somethings are shit and judgeypants are therefore totally justified.

Re. posters insisting their or their family/friends' brachycephalic dogs have no health problems, there's evidence that a large portion (even a majority) of owners of dogs afflicted with BOAS fail to appreciate the symptoms (often dismissing them as 'normal for the breed')

scholar.google.co.uk/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=Cf0igLMAAAAJ&citation_for_view=Cf0igLMAAAAJ:u5HHmVD_uO8C

ffs that is the point- not all dogs are the same. Frenchies and pugs shouldn't be walking miles a day. Part of owning the breed is knowing their limitations

All healthy dogs should be able to run, jump and walk several miles.
They may not want to and that's absolutely fine, we are all different and all dogs will have differing energy levels but they should be able to.
To remove a dogs ability to do it by obstructing their breathing is cruel.

You never wonder if your pugs might actually enjoy a longer walk if they could actually do it?!

Large breeds often don't need huge amounts of walking either, its detrimental to their joints.

This 'calm, placid temperament' and 'being happy with little exercise' flat faced owners talk about, I wonder how much of that is down to breeding that personality and how much is actually due to the fact they can't breathe properly so appear to be placid and slow....

At the end of the day, dogs are naturally active animals.
If you don't want to be out and about walking them so opt for something that can't really do much more than a quick pootle comfortably, I seriously wonder if a dog is actually the right pet for you.

SchadenfreudePersonified - When someone speaks to us who actually knows what they are I could kiss them!

If I ever get snogged by an owner when I'm admiring their fatties, I'll know it's you and I'll identify myself, Lincoln!

I'll look out for you! I'm the fatty unfortunately - hence the morning running! My flatties are supremely fit - very sleek dogs. As someone else has said, they walk and run around ten miles EVERY day! They come out running with me and they work on the moors with my husband. They come home exhausted, covered in mud with bracken in their tails but my goodness are they happy dogs.

I don't really want to get into the pure bred/rescue argument because people are so entrenched in their view but over the years, the ONLY time my well trained, obedient gun dogs with their amazingly gentle natures have been attacked, it has been by a rescue dog. There are people who get a rescue dog because it's increasingly a trendy thing to do and, I'm sorry to say Paul O'Grady, much as I like him, is not doing any favours. There are too many happy endings on his show. A good friend of mine spent a small fortune on a rescue GSD both health wise and behavioural problems but in the end she had to admit defeat and have the animal PTS with all the guilt and heartache that entailled.

Jimmy, my gentle old goldie has been bitten quite badly by three 'rescue' shitzus, with the owner shouting 'don't hurt them, they're rescues' - while they were underneath my old boy tearing chunks out of him. Only his heavy coat saved him from even worse bites. Blakie my youngest and most beautiful flattie was jumped on by a huge 'rescue' greyhound. Thank god it was muzzled or it would have ripped his neck out. The owner said he was muzzled because he showed 'fear aggression'. He should have been on a lead.

My son always has rescue sight hounds and has had them for many years but he knows and loves the breed and understands them extremely well. And don't get me started on greyhound racing!! Definitely should be banned.